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[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 38 (Wednesday, February 26, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10840-10841]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-04184]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[MMAA104000]

Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Eastern Planning 
Area (EPA) Oil and Gas Lease Sales 225 and 226

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA) of a Record of Decision (ROD) for 
EPA Lease Sale 225 in the Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 
2014-2016; Eastern Planning Area Lease Sales 225 and 226; Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (EPA 225/226 EIS).

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SUMMARY: BOEM has prepared a ROD for oil and gas EPA Lease Sale 225 
scheduled for March 19, 2014. The proposed lease sale is in the Gulf of 
Mexico's EPA off the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and 
Florida. EPA Lease Sale 225 is the first EPA lease sale scheduled in 
the OCS Oil & Gas Leasing Program for 2012-2017 (Five Year Program). In 
making its decision, BOEM considered an alternative to the proposed 
action, the potential impacts as presented in the EPA 225/226 EIS, and 
all comments received throughout the NEPA process. The EPA 225/226 EIS 
evaluated the environmental and socioeconomic impacts for EPA Lease 
Sale 225.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the EPA 225/226 EIS, BOEM evaluated two 
alternatives that are summarized below:
    Alternative A--The Proposed Action: This is BOEM's preferred 
alternative. This alternative would offer for lease all unleased blocks 
within the proposed EPA lease sale area for oil and gas operations.

[[Page 10841]]

    The EPA proposed lease sale area covers approximately 657,905 acres 
(approximately 175 whole and partial blocks) and includes those blocks 
previously included in the EPA Lease Sale 224 Area and a triangular-
shaped area south of the EPA Lease Sale 224 area. The EPA proposed 
lease sale area is currently bordered to the north by the southern 
boundary of the Sale 181 area, to the west and south by the CPA 
boundary, and to east by the Military Mission Line (86[ordm]41' W. 
longitude). The nearest point of land is about 125 mi (201 km) 
northwest in Louisiana. As of November 2013, approximately 465,200 
acres of the proposed EPA lease sale area are currently unleased. The 
estimated amount of natural resources projected to be developed as a 
result of a proposed EPA lease sale is 0-0.071 billion barrels of oil 
and 0-0.162 trillion cubic feet of gas.
    Alternative B--No Action: This alternative is the cancellation of 
proposed EPA Lease Sale 225 and is identified as the environmentally 
preferred alternative.
    After careful consideration, BOEM has selected the proposed action, 
identified as BOEM's preferred alternative (Alternative A) in the EPA 
225/226 EIS. BOEM's selection of the preferred alternative meets the 
purpose and need for the action, as identified in the EPA 225/226 EIS, 
and reflects an orderly resource development with protection of the 
human, marine, and coastal environments, while also ensuring that the 
public receives an equitable return for these resources and that free-
market competition is maintained.
    Record of Decision Availability: To obtain a single printed or CD-
ROM copy of the ROD for proposed EPA Lease Sale 225, you may contact 
BOEM, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Public Information Office (GM 335A), 
1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394 (1-800-
200-GULF). An electronic copy of the ROD is available on BOEM's 
Internet Web site at http://boem.gov/Environmental-Stewardship/Environmental-Assessment/NEPA/nepaprocess.aspx.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For more information on the ROD, you 
may contact Mr. Gary D. Goeke, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Gulf 
of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard (GM 623E), New 
Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394. You may also contact Mr. Goeke by 
telephone at (504) 736-3233.

    Authority:  This NOA is published pursuant to the regulations 
(40 CFR part 1503) implementing the provisions of the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 
et seq.).

    Dated: February 11, 2014.
Tommy P. Beaudreau,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2014-04184 Filed 2-25-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P
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